The present invention relates to a soil reinforced retaining wall for earthen formations and, in particular, is directed to such a wall wherein is the soil reinforcing mats are of a planar configuration and successively placed in the formation at vertically spaced intervals, and separate face mats are secured to the soil reinforcing mats at the face of the formation. It is especially concerned with such an arrangement wherein the lift (i.e. the distance between successive soil reinforcing mats) may be increased as compared to walls presently in use. It is also concerned with a new face mat construction comprised of paired separate face mat elements secured one above the other in edge-to-edge relationship and an improved construction for anchoring such elements in vertical alignment. The invention also provides an improved construction which accommodates settlement of an earthen retaining wall having a wire face, without bowing of the face. It also provides an improved method for starting and capping construction of the wall so that the face mats are maintained in generally vertical alignment.
A soil reinforced retaining wall designed to accommodate an increased lift between soil reinforcing mats may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,799 to William K. Hilfiker, one of the inventors herein. The face mat shown in FIG. 9 of that patent is similar to the face mats of the present invention. As contrasted to the present invention, however, the wire wall of that patent employs angle-shaped soil reinforcing mats with portions which extend over wire face mats, and increasing the lift requires a specially constructed unitary face mat which extends over the height of the lift. The wall of the present invention, in contrast, employs planar soil reinforcing mats and face panel mats which may comprise separate paired elements secured together in edge-to-edge relationship, with anchors to stabilize the elements and secure them in vertical alignment.
Prior art arrangements employing generally planar soil reinforcing mats may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,329,089 and 5,622,455. The walls of these patents employ special connectors between the soil reinforcing mats and face elements, and do not have separate paired face panel elements of the type used in the present invention, or the provision of anchors to secure these elements in vertical alignment.
A prior art wire wall construction provided with compressible face elements to accommodate settling of an earthen formation, without bowing of the face elements, may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,970. As contrasted to the present invention, however, the wall of this patent employs L-shaped soil reinforcing mats having vertically extending elements which extend over the face of the wall.